As he spooned warm apple cobbler into his mouth, he glanced around the room and noticed several of the guests scanning the table, searching for something.
What was missing?
Ben caught his attention and pointed to his coffee cup.
Right. Cream and sugar. If he told Annie, she’d feel as if she’d committed another faux pas, so Tyler excused himself and fetched the Waterford set she’d filled from the kitchen.
Anguish clouded her eyes on his return, tempting him to fling the crystal sugar bowl at the wall. The defeated droop to her shoulders and the regret in her gaze suggested she’d come to a decision about their future together.
And he had an uneasy feeling he wasn’t going to like it. Not one bit.
~*~
“Look, twenty-five years ago, Clark Industries was a debutante in the corporate world—everyone wanted her. But let’s be honest here. Lately, she’s gotten pretty long in the tooth and is looking more and more like a wallflower.”
As Annie crept through the family room, Tyler’s deep voice drifted out of his study.
After dinner, he’d asked the ladies to excuse them, and the women’s husbands had all trooped off to Tyler’s study. On his way out of the dining room, Tyler had pulled her aside and asked her to wait twenty minutes and then politely interrupt him and suggest the ladies were getting lonely.
She’d been thrilled to have an excuse to escape from the condescending women’s conversation. She had no idea who had designed the shoes Ben had bought for her until she slipped one off to check the label. All she’d known was she’d felt lightheaded when she’d seen the price for one pair of heels. Nor did she have a clue whether or not she liked Clive Christian’s perfume, although she was sure she couldn’t afford it. She’d been at a complete loss for anything to add to their discussion. If Sabrina hadn’t been there to pick up the slack, Annie didn’t know what she would’ve done.
She stopped outside the door to Tyler’s study and listened as he continued. “Face it, Jack, BJ is the only one interested. If you play hard to get, he’ll find someone else to waltz with, and Clark Industries’ dance card will be as empty as its pockets.”
She peeked into the room where Ben leaned against the wall, looking bored, leaving all the talking to his trusted attorney and friend. Tyler perched on the edge of his desk, gazing down at the men lounging in the leather overstuffed furniture, puffing on cigars.
She recalled everything he’d told her about the art of negotiating and watched him in awe. Where was the playful man who’d dunked her in the swimming pool at Ben’s estate? He was such an imposing presence tonight she hardly recognized him. There was no question about who was in command or how much he loved the game.
Unfortunately, he’d never win it with her dragging him down. He needed a wife at his side who could help him in his career—not Elly Mae Clampett.
Jack Gordon shrugged. “I’m simply not ready to give up on a company that was once a leader in the industry—and could be again if we modernize.”
“BJ wouldn’t be interested in it otherwise. With the amount of red ink Gordon Enterprises has on its books, you won’t be able to raise the kind of capital it needs. You owe it to CI’s employees to at least agree to hear us out.” Glancing toward the door, Tyler spotted her and smiled. “Yes, Annie?”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I think these gentlemen’s wives might be missing them.”
“That’ll be the day,” Gordon muttered.
Ben held up one hand. “This was supposed to be a social evening. Why don’t we set up a meeting for later this week to discuss this in more detail?”
“Fine.” Gordon nodded. “I’ll have my assistant call you with a time that’s convenient. Maybe we can sneak in a round of golf while we talk.”
They all wandered back to the living room and spent another forty minutes discussing the exotic places they’d all vacationed. Once again, Annie couldn’t contribute anything since the most exciting places she’d ever traveled to with her parents had been car trips to Myrtle Beach, Niagara Falls, and Washington, D.C.
When the last of the guests mercifully left, Ben and Sabrina helped clean up. Annie spewed apologies like a Pez dispenser spitting out candy. Every time she opened her mouth, another apology popped out.
“I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I forgot the cream and sugar for the coffee.”
“Annie, enough.” Ben clutched her elbows and stared at her. “You’re going to dislocate a shoulder beating yourself up over such insignificant stuff. The food was delicious, and no one went home hungry.”
“You call insulting a guest insignificant? I can’t believe I offered to send leftovers home at a formal dinner party.”
“If Charlotte Gordon couldn’t see it was a naïve gesture of kindness then she’s the rude one.”
Maybe if Annie started saving now, by the time she turned two hundred, she might be able to pay Ben back all the money that losing this deal would cost him.
“The evening accomplished exactly what I’d hoped. Gordon has agreed to talk, and Tyler and I learned a lot about the man we’ll be negotiating with.”
“Yeah, like he’s a bona fide lecher.” Sabrina laughed.
Annie slanted a glance at the tight smile pasted on Tyler’s face. Her performance that evening had been about as impressive as a chimpanzee at a tea party. She’d been insane to get involved with him. If she didn’t end the fairytale right away, everyone involved would end up hurt much worse later on.
He would, without a doubt, throw himself on the matrimonial altar out of loyalty to her and Noah. It would be much less painful to refuse his noble gesture if she didn’t have to see him every day.
Ben slid his arm around Sabrina’s shoulder. “And to show my appreciation to the two of you for hosting this party, Sabrina and I are going to spend the night here, pick the kids up from Jennifer in the morning, and stay with them all day so you can have some time alone.” He slapped Tyler on the back. “I suggest you pack your toothbrush and take the lady home. She looks as if she could use a backrub.”
Not to mention the rest of her.
Tyler didn’t say a word. His mouth just curved into one of his bone-melting smiles that heated Annie’s cheeks.
Tomorrow would be soon enough to quit. She would give herself the memory of one last night in his arms to cherish.
Chapter 13
Tyler silently drove the two blocks to Annie’s house, giving himself a mental hernia trying to think of something to say that would help her see the evening in a positive light. Sadly, everything that came to mind sounded as if he were simply searching for a rainbow in a thundercloud.
How could he convince her he didn’t care about her sex-kitten dress, how she’d served the Sevruga caviar, or that she’d chilled the red wine? He frankly didn’t give a flying fig what Jack and Charlotte Gordon thought—or Ben for that matter.
The only thing upsetting him was the evening had given Annie an excuse to reject any suggestion of something permanent between them. He should’ve insisted on hiring a caterer. But knowing her, she still would’ve found herself lacking.
A week ago, he’d initially been concerned when Annie admitted their condom mishap couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Now, he wanted nothing more than to see her belly swell with his baby. Talking to Keith that afternoon had given Tyler hope and made him pray he not only produced healthy sperm, but also that his swimmers might be equally as vigorous and determined as the older man’s.
Maybe if Annie discovered she was pregnant she would finally agree to marry him.
As he opened the car door for her, he took her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. “Sweetheart, did you finally get your period?”
She stiffened as if the wind-chill had flash-frozen her.
“I guess I can take that as a no.”
“I’m only a day late. I was supposed to get it yesterday.”
Which meant she would’ve been as fertile as a freshly plowed field two weeks
ago. “You’re normally pretty regular, right?”
“Yes. I’m sure it’s just the stress from the party that’s made me late. I’ll probably get it during the night.”
“Right.” Only time would tell. He took her keys from her and unlocked her front door. Once he shrugged off his coat, he shivered. “It’s nearly as cold in here as it is outside.”
“Well, I’ve been at your house since early this morning. I turn the heat off whenever I’m there.”
The arctic room reminded him of the nights he’d gone to bed as a child, shaking with his breath visible because they’d run out of heating oil.
“How can you bring Noah home to sleep in this refrigerator? You’re raising a little boy, damn it, not a Popsicle.”
The thought of his potential child living this way sent a new generation of chills rippling through him.
Annie flipped the switch on the thermostat. “Relax. It only takes a half hour to heat the house up.”
“I don’t give a damn!” he hollered. “Leave the freaking heat on. I’ll pay the bill. I’ll pay all the bills for that matter. I don’t want you and Noah living like this.”
“My bills aren’t your responsibility,” she said in a tone as frigid as the house.
He wanted them to be his responsibility. In the last month, three things had become abundantly clear to him. Noah wanted him as his daddy, Mandy wanted Annie as her mommy, and he wanted Noah’s mother in his bed all night, every night.
“I’m sorry I yelled. Cold houses are a sore spot for me. While I was away at college, my mother died from pneumonia because my father pissed away the money they needed for heat and to take my mom to the doctor.”
“Oh, Tyler. I’m sorry. I won’t turn it off anymore.” She slipped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest. “Tonight I’ve got you to keep me warm.”
“I like the sound of that.” He covered her mouth with his as he scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.
It took less than sixty seconds for them to strip each other and fall into her bed. Annie writhed beneath him while he dragged his tongue over her breasts which seemed fuller than the last time he’d made love to her. He laid his cheek against her quivering stomach. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but suddenly he had little doubt his baby was growing inside her.
“Annie,” he whispered as he lifted his head and splayed his hand over her abdomen, “I want to take care of you and Noah. I want us to be a family.”
“Please—let’s just make love.”
“No.” He gently stroked the soft swell of her stomach. “I want to be more than just your lover.”
He glanced down at his throbbing erection. Had he just turned down sex with the woman he’d been chasing like a stag in rut for almost two months?
Only one of two things could make him ignore the granddaddy of all hard-ons. Either his body had been taken over by aliens, or he’d tumbled head over ass in love with his chocolate-eyed pixie.
~*~
Annie choked back a sob as Tyler stared down at her, determination flaring in his gaze. “Sweetheart, I’m in love with you.”
“No, you can’t be.” She scooted back from him. “You were at the party tonight. Did I belong there? From the very beginning, you agreed our age and lifestyles were too different for us to fall in love with each other.”
“I was wrong.” He shrugged. “Sue me. I’m in love with you. We don’t need anything more than that.”
“You promised when I decided to call it quits between us you wouldn’t ask me for anything more.”
“It was a ridiculous promise for me to make.”
“But you made it all the same.”
“Of course I did. I was desperate. You weren’t going to let down your defenses otherwise.”
“And now you want me to believe you love me?”
“Yes.” He cupped her face between his hands. “Sweetheart, I want to marry you and have more children together.”
“No. I quit.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Q-U-I-T. As in I’m no longer working for you. I believe the word was too simple for them to even put on the GED test, so I’m sure you’ve heard of it, Mr. Suma-Cum-Laude.”
“Fine. I don’t want you as my housekeeper, anyway. I want you to be my wife.”
She couldn’t take anymore of this. If he didn’t stop asking her to marry him, she’d burst out crying. She slid off the mattress, pulled her robe on, and pointed toward the door. “Go home.”
“I don’t understand.” He stared at her as he climbed out of bed, his mouth hanging open.
“Then let me make it clear. I want you out of my daily life. I still want to see Mandy, and I want you to spend time with Noah. But as for us, we’re finished.”
He shook his head with a shell-shocked look in his eyes. “Annie, please, let’s talk about this.”
“No. I let you delude me that things could work between us. I’m sorry.” She opened the bedroom door. “Tonight proved I’m a liability to you. I can’t be happy feeling as if I’m failing you all the time.”
“You haven’t let me down.” He pulled his underwear and trousers back on. “Tonight was a learning experience. Do you think I’ve always known the different grades of caviar and how to serve it? I had to learn a lot to—”
“Tyler, just go!” She flung his arms away from her as he tried to comfort her. If she let him hold her, she’d be lost. “I can’t do this right now. I’ll pick Noah up in the morning.”
“No.” He sliced his hand through the air as he tugged on his shirt. “I’m not letting you push me out of your life, so my son can grow up freezing in a dump like this.”
“He’s not your son.”
“I love him like my own.”
“Then it’s too bad his mother is the hired help.” She stormed into the kitchen with him right on her heels. carrying his socks and shoes.
“That’s not fair. I’ve never treated you with anything but the utmost respect.”
“You may show me respect, Tyler, but you have no regard for who I am and the way I live. You’re like a cat watching a goldfish. You want this plain little fishy but you despise my world. The thought of getting your paws damp horrifies you.”
“Annie, one of the big reasons I fell in love with you was because of the courageous way you face adversity.” He sank onto one of the kitchen chairs to put on his socks and shoes. “But now it’s clear that you use that brave smile as a mask to hide the fact that deep down you’re a coward.”
He was wrong. If she were a coward, she would never have the gumption to give up her happiness right now to avoid messing up all of their futures.
He slipped his feet into his loafers and crossed his arms over his chest. “You can’t allow yourself to want more than you have because you simply don’t believe you deserve it. And you’re terrified that, if you take your son out of the fishbowl, the two of you won’t remember how to swim if you ever fall back in.”
There was an element of truth to his accusation. After all, she’d been powerless to stop her carefree childhood from coming to a screeching halt the day her father was killed.
“Maybe I don’t feel worthy because I’m not. Could you forgive yourself if you’d considered ending your daughter’s life even before she took her first breath?”
“Are you saying you considered having an abortion?”
“Yes.” She covered her face, unable to look at the revulsion she was certain she’d see in his eyes. “So you can be glad I’m ending things. I saw the receipt for your contribution to the pregnancy crisis center, so I know what you must think of me.”
“No. I could never judge you—even if you’d made that choice. One of my clients, Jake Manion, hit me up for that contribution. His teenage son, Alex, got his girlfriend pregnant this year. Preventing teen pregnancies have always been a crusade for Jake, so he volunteers at the crisis center as a counselor a few days a month.”
“Five thousand dollars is pretty hefty
donation simply to appease a client.”
“I’m not saying that’s the only reason I support the charity. I donated as much as I did because I can imagine how difficult it must be for a young, unmarried woman to discover she’s pregnant. No one can know what choice they would make until they’re personally faced with that decision.”
He wiped her damp cheeks with his hand. “You’ve done nothing to be ashamed of, Annie. In the end, you chose to raise your little boy. And you’ve done an admirable job.”
“And if I choose to continue raising him in my safe little fishbowl instead of swimming with those sharks I met at your party, it’s my business. It’s time for both of us to face reality. I’m not the right woman to be your wife.”
He raised his hands in surrender. “Forget it. Obviously there’s no talking to you tonight.” He turned and called back over his shoulder as he pulled on his coat and headed for the front door. “I’ll bring Noah and Mitch home tomorrow afternoon. Since you’re not planning to spend the day with me, I want to devote the morning to my son.”
Once Tyler slammed out of her house, she leaned back against the counter and let the tears flow. She’d driven the best thing that had ever happened to her out of her life. And sadly, it was the only choice she could’ve made.
~*~
Tyler crept into his house a few minutes later and found Sabrina measuring grounds into the coffeemaker for the morning.
“What’re you still doing awake?” He planted a peck on her cheek.
“I couldn’t sleep. I’m surprised you’re back. I know Annie was feeling bad, but—”
“She threw me out.”
Sabrina jammed her fists into her hips and huffed. “What’d you do?”
“Why do you assume I did something? If you must know, I asked her to marry me. She’d rather live in that—that hovel than here as my wife.” He closed his eyes. Damn, he sounded like such a pretentious snob. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
The Parent Pact (Book Three of The Return to Redemption Series) Page 20